Childhood and education

Manmohan Singh was born to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur on 26 September 1932, in Gah, Punjab (now in Chakwal District, Pakistan), British India, into a Sikh family. He lost his mother when he was very young, and he was raised by his paternal grandmother, to whom he was very close. He was a hard working student who studied by candlelight, as his village did not have electricity. After the Partition of India, he migrated to Amritsar, India. He attended Punjab University, Chandigarh studying Economics and attaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 1952 and 1954 respectively, standing first throughout his academic career. He went on to read for the Economics Tripos at Cambridge University as a member of St John’s College. (In the Oxbridge tradition, holders of the BA degree with honours are entitled in due course to an MA degree.) He won the Wright’s Prize for distinguished performance in 1955 and 1957. He was also one of the few recipients of the Wrenbury scholarship. In 1962, Singh completed his DPhil from the University of Oxford where he was a member of Nuffield College. The title of his doctoral thesis was “India’s export performance, 1951-1960, export prospects and policy implications”, and his thesis supervisor was Dr I M D Little. From this thesis he published the book “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth”.[4]

Finance Minister of India

In 1991, India’s then-Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, chose Singh to be the Finance Minister. At the time, India was facing an economic crisis. Rao and Singh implemented policies to open up the economy and change the socialist economic system to a capitalist economy. The economic reform package included dismantling Licence Raj that made it difficult for private businesses to exist and prosper, removal of many obstacles for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and initiating the process of the privatization of public sector companies. These economic reforms are credited with bringing high levels of economic growth in India, and changing the annual 3%, to an average of 8–9% economic growth in the following years. However, in spite of these reforms, Rao’s government was voted out in 1996 due to non-performance of government in other areas.

Career in the Rajya Sabha

Singh was first elected to the upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, in 1991[5] and was re-elected in 2001 and 2007. From 1998 to 2004, while the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power, Singh was the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. In 1999, he ran for the Lok Sabha from South Delhi but was unable to win the seat[6].

Prime ministership

14th Lok Sabha

After the 2004 general elections, the Indian National Congress stunned the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by becoming the political party with the single largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha. In a surprise move, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairwoman Sonia Gandhi declared Manmohan Singh, a technocrat, as the UPA candidate for the Prime Minister post. Despite the fact that Singh had never won a Lok Sabha seat, his considerable goodwill and Sonia Gandhi’s nomination won him the support of the UPA allies and the Left Front. He took the oath as the Prime Minister of India on 22 May 2004,

Relations with Afghanistan have also improved considerably, with India now becoming the largest regional donor to Afghanistan.[10] During Afghan President Hamid Karzai‘s visit to New Delhi in August 2008, Manmohan Singh increased the aid package to Afghanistan for the development of more schools, health clinics, infrastructure, and defense.[11] Under the leadership of Singh, India has emerged as one of the single largest aid donors to Afghanistan.[11]

Singh’s government has worked towards stronger ties with the United States. He visited the United States in July 2005 initiating negotiations over the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement. This was followed by George W. Bush‘s successful visit to India in March 2006, during which the declaration over the nuclear agreement was made, giving India access to American nuclear fuel and technology while India will have to allow IAEA inspection of its civil nuclear reactors. After more than two years for more negotiations, followed by approval from the IAEA, Nuclear Suppliers Group and the US Congress, India and the U.S. signed the agreement on 10 October 2008.[12]

Prime Minister Singh had the first official state visit to the White House during the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. The visit took place in November 2009, and several discussions took place, including on trade and nuclear power. It was set during a wider visit to the United States by Dr. Singh.

Manmohan Singh’s government has also been especially keen on expanding ties with Israel. Since 2003, the two countries have made significant investments in each other[15] and Israel now rivals Russia to become India’s defense partner.[16] Though there have been a few diplomatic glitches between India and Russia, especially over the delay and price hike of several Russian weapons to be delivered to India,[17] relations between the two remain strong with India and Russia signing various agreements to increase defense, nuclear energy and space cooperation.[18]

Economic policy

Singh first became the finance minister of India in the year 1991. During which time India’s fiscal deficit was close to 8.5 per cent of the gross domestic product; the balance of payments deficit was huge and the current account deficit was close to 3.5 per cent of GDP.[19] Essentially the country was hemorrhaging money. It was during this time Singh opened the Indian economy to foreign investment and introduced competition.[19][20] At the time Indian foreign reserve was barely a billion dollars as compared to $283 billion today.[21] Singh also freed India from the strong hold of License Raj – which created social instability and low economic growth – and essentially liberalizing Indian economy, which put the country on fast track for development. Singh, along with the former Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, have presided over a period where the Indian economy has grown with an 8–9% economic growth rate. In 2007, India achieved its highest GDP growth rate of 9% and became the second fastest growing major economy in the world.[22][23] Singh is a strong believer of globalization, and the fact that with India’s immense labor-intensive capacity, its goods would be able to find its way on the world market and relieve poverty.[24]

Singh’s government has continued the Golden Quadrilateral and the highway modernization program that was initiated by Vajpayee’s government. Singh has also been working on reforming the banking and financial sectors as well as public sector companies. The Finance ministry has been working towards relieving farmers of their debt and has been working towards pro-industry policies. In 2005, Singh’s government introduced the VAT tax that replaced the complicated sales tax. In 2007 and early 2008, inflation became a big problem globally.[25]

Healthcare and education

In 2005, Prime Minister Singh and his government’s health ministry started the National Rural Health Mission, which has mobilized half a million community health workers. This rural health initiative was praised by the American economist Jeffrey Sachs.[26]

Security and Home Affairs

Dr. Singh’s government has been criticised by opposition parties for revoking POTA and for the many bomb blasts in various cities, like in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jaipur, etc. and for not being able to reduce the Naxal terrorism that is menacing rural areas in Eastern and Central India. Singh’s government has, however, extended the ban on the radical Islamic terror group Student’s Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Manmohan Singh administration initiated a massive reconstruction effort in Kashmir to stabilize the region but after some period of success, infiltration and terrorism in Kashmir has increased since 2009.[27] However, the Singh administration has been successful in reducing terrorism in north-east India.[27]

15th Lok Sabha

India held general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 and 13 May 2009. The results of the election were announced on 16 May 2009[29]. Strong showing in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh helped the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) form the new government under the incumbent Singh, who became the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962 to win re-election after completing a full five-year term.[30] The Congress and its allies was able to put together a comfortable majority with support from 322 members out of 543 members of the House. The oppossition having accepted defeat admitted that the specific targeting of Singh as “weak PM” was wrong and had benefited Singh instead. This led to infighting in the BJP and criticism of Mr.Advani by many prominent leaders of the BJP.[31]. The tally of 322 seats included those of the UPA and the external support from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other minor parties.[32]

Childhood and education

Manmohan Singh was born to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur on 26 September 1932, in Gah, Punjab (now in Chakwal District, Pakistan), British India, into a Sikh family. He lost his mother when he was very young, and he was raised by his paternal grandmother, to whom he was very close. He was a hard working student who studied by candlelight, as his village did not have electricity. After the Partition of India, he migrated to Amritsar, India. He attended Punjab University, Chandigarh studying Economics and attaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 1952 and 1954 respectively, standing first throughout his academic career. He went on to read for the Economics Tripos at Cambridge University as a member of St John’s College. (In the Oxbridge tradition, holders of the BA degree with honours are entitled in due course to an MA degree.) He won the Wright’s Prize for distinguished performance in 1955 and 1957. He was also one of the few recipients of the Wrenbury scholarship. In 1962, Singh completed his DPhil from the University of Oxford where he was a member of Nuffield College. The title of his doctoral thesis was “India’s export performance, 1951-1960, export prospects and policy implications”, and his thesis supervisor was Dr I M D Little. From this thesis he published the book “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth”.[4]

Finance Minister of India

In 1991, India’s then-Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, chose Singh to be the Finance Minister. At the time, India was facing an economic crisis. Rao and Singh implemented policies to open up the economy and change the socialist economic system to a capitalist economy. The economic reform package included dismantling Licence Raj that made it difficult for private businesses to exist and prosper, removal of many obstacles for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and initiating the process of the privatization of public sector companies. These economic reforms are credited with bringing high levels of economic growth in India, and changing the annual 3%, to an average of 8–9% economic growth in the following years. However, in spite of these reforms, Rao’s government was voted out in 1996 due to non-performance of government in other areas.

Career in the Rajya Sabha

Singh was first elected to the upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, in 1991[5] and was re-elected in 2001 and 2007. From 1998 to 2004, while the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power, Singh was the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. In 1999, he ran for the Lok Sabha from South Delhi but was unable to win the seat[6].

Prime ministership

14th Lok Sabha

After the 2004 general elections, the Indian National Congress stunned the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by becoming the political party with the single largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha. In a surprise move, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairwoman Sonia Gandhi declared Manmohan Singh, a technocrat, as the UPA candidate for the Prime Minister post. Despite the fact that Singh had never won a Lok Sabha seat, his considerable goodwill and Sonia Gandhi’s nomination won him the support of the UPA allies and the Left Front. He took the oath as the Prime Minister of India on 22 May 2004,

Relations with Afghanistan have also improved considerably, with India now becoming the largest regional donor to Afghanistan.[10] During Afghan President Hamid Karzai‘s visit to New Delhi in August 2008, Manmohan Singh increased the aid package to Afghanistan for the development of more schools, health clinics, infrastructure, and defense.[11] Under the leadership of Singh, India has emerged as one of the single largest aid donors to Afghanistan.[11]

Singh’s government has worked towards stronger ties with the United States. He visited the United States in July 2005 initiating negotiations over the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement. This was followed by George W. Bush‘s successful visit to India in March 2006, during which the declaration over the nuclear agreement was made, giving India access to American nuclear fuel and technology while India will have to allow IAEA inspection of its civil nuclear reactors. After more than two years for more negotiations, followed by approval from the IAEA, Nuclear Suppliers Group and the US Congress, India and the U.S. signed the agreement on 10 October 2008.[12]

Prime Minister Singh had the first official state visit to the White House during the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. The visit took place in November 2009, and several discussions took place, including on trade and nuclear power. It was set during a wider visit to the United States by Dr. Singh.

Manmohan Singh’s government has also been especially keen on expanding ties with Israel. Since 2003, the two countries have made significant investments in each other[15] and Israel now rivals Russia to become India’s defense partner.[16] Though there have been a few diplomatic glitches between India and Russia, especially over the delay and price hike of several Russian weapons to be delivered to India,[17] relations between the two remain strong with India and Russia signing various agreements to increase defense, nuclear energy and space cooperation.[18]

Economic policy

Singh first became the finance minister of India in the year 1991. During which time India’s fiscal deficit was close to 8.5 per cent of the gross domestic product; the balance of payments deficit was huge and the current account deficit was close to 3.5 per cent of GDP.[19] Essentially the country was hemorrhaging money. It was during this time Singh opened the Indian economy to foreign investment and introduced competition.[19][20] At the time Indian foreign reserve was barely a billion dollars as compared to $283 billion today.[21] Singh also freed India from the strong hold of License Raj – which created social instability and low economic growth – and essentially liberalizing Indian economy, which put the country on fast track for development. Singh, along with the former Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, have presided over a period where the Indian economy has grown with an 8–9% economic growth rate. In 2007, India achieved its highest GDP growth rate of 9% and became the second fastest growing major economy in the world.[22][23] Singh is a strong believer of globalization, and the fact that with India’s immense labor-intensive capacity, its goods would be able to find its way on the world market and relieve poverty.[24]

Singh’s government has continued the Golden Quadrilateral and the highway modernization program that was initiated by Vajpayee’s government. Singh has also been working on reforming the banking and financial sectors as well as public sector companies. The Finance ministry has been working towards relieving farmers of their debt and has been working towards pro-industry policies. In 2005, Singh’s government introduced the VAT tax that replaced the complicated sales tax. In 2007 and early 2008, inflation became a big problem globally.[25]

Healthcare and education

In 2005, Prime Minister Singh and his government’s health ministry started the National Rural Health Mission, which has mobilized half a million community health workers. This rural health initiative was praised by the American economist Jeffrey Sachs.[26]

Security and Home Affairs

Dr. Singh’s government has been criticised by opposition parties for revoking POTA and for the many bomb blasts in various cities, like in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jaipur, etc. and for not being able to reduce the Naxal terrorism that is menacing rural areas in Eastern and Central India. Singh’s government has, however, extended the ban on the radical Islamic terror group Student’s Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Manmohan Singh administration initiated a massive reconstruction effort in Kashmir to stabilize the region but after some period of success, infiltration and terrorism in Kashmir has increased since 2009.[27] However, the Singh administration has been successful in reducing terrorism in north-east India.[27]

15th Lok Sabha

India held general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 and 13 May 2009. The results of the election were announced on 16 May 2009[29]. Strong showing in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh helped the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) form the new government under the incumbent Singh, who became the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962 to win re-election after completing a full five-year term.[30] The Congress and its allies was able to put together a comfortable majority with support from 322 members out of 543 members of the House. The oppossition having accepted defeat admitted that the specific targeting of Singh as “weak PM” was wrong and had benefited Singh instead. This led to infighting in the BJP and criticism of Mr.Advani by many prominent leaders of the BJP.[31]. The tally of 322 seats included those of the UPA and the external support from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other minor parties.[32]